Toward the Shire
by FanOfRandomThings
Summary: When Fili and Kili leave, one small dwarf sees them as great heroes, but to their mum, they're just her two little dwarflings who she wants to see again. One shot of Kili and Fili leaving Dis for the Shire. Featuring a certain red haired dwarf!


"Are you sure that you've got everything? You know mum's about to ask you the same thing, and it'll do you a world of good if you can answer yes; truthfully answer yes, I mean."

Kili rolled his eyes at his brother's serious face.

"Look, you want to check it yourself?" Kili grinned, and this time it was Fili's turn to roll his eyes.

"Look, this is serious Kili! We won't be home for months or more," Fili continued to be serious, but the expression playing upon his little brother's expression couldn't help but bring a smile to Fili's own frown. "Come on," Fili laughed, "Let's get these goodbyes over with."

Grinning, Kili leapt after his brother. Finally, _finally _he was going on an adventure like he'd only heard of in his uncle's glorious tales of the past. He was still leaping after his brother when they entered the kitchen, and he suddenly stood stock still.

His mother, his strong, independent mother, who never showed any real weakness to his sons, was crying. _Crying!_ Kili had never, in his entire life, seen his mother cry.

Well, actually she wasn't crying right at this very moment, but she had been. Her always neat (mostly neat) hair was mussed, her eyes were red, and there were streaks down her face. She was quick to clear it all up, yanking back her hair and making it look more presentable, and yet she could do nothing for her red rimmed eyes.

"Mum…" Kili trailed off in sudden horror, "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," Dis gave a half smile, though both of her sons could see it tainted with something… Something horrible and unrecognizable was on her always caring, wonderful face that was so full of life, so full of the face of a mother, of _her_, not full of whatever emotion had overcome her countenance.

Fili played with the straps on his knapsack, clearing his throat.

"It's time we go," he spoke, "We're supposed to be there earlier to scout things out and whatnot."

"Oh, yes, of course! You both have everything?"

"Yes mum," Kili nodded quickly, his eyes still so of full of his youthful innocence, unknowing of what he might encounter out in the world beyond the Blue Mountains.

Dis sprang into action, nodding quickly and rushing forward to embrace both of her sons in a warm, wonderful hug of three. It wasn't the first time she had experienced a hug of three with two relations who would be going on a quest, going to war, and yet last time, one didn't come back…

"Fili," Dis separated herself from the hug, "I have been saving something for you."

Fili shared a glance with Kili, before he watched his mother reach back to the couch, retrieving a ancient, wooden box. She gently, so gently, lifted the lid and took out two tiny, circular, silver clasps.

"I have been saving these for so long. I hadn't been sure what I was saving them for, but now I know. I've been saving them for my golden haired boy."

Dis handed the clasps to Fili, placing them into his hands.

"I've seen you growing out that mustache; it's time you have something proper to keep those braids in place. These belonged to my brother, and it's time to give them to you."

"Thorin?" Fili asked, examining the tiny silver clasps, and he found himself surprised when his mother shook her head, emotion again filling her eyes.

"No, my other brother. He would have loved you, both of you, and he would want something of his to make it into this quest. He would have wanted something of his to make it into your life, he would have wanted you to have these."

Fili closed his hand around the small, unassuming clasps, which meant so much more to his mother. They almost never spoke of the other brother, only whispers on rainy nights and the occasional war story.

"Thank you mum," was all Fili found he could say before giving his mother another hug.

"And for you," Dis stopped Kili from turning to look at the clasps.

She lifted something else from the box. It was smooth, dark, and round.

"It is a rune stone," Dis told Kili, "For my wonderful, reckless younger son. Please do not be reckless on this quest, Kili. Return home to me, please. Do not leave me."

Swallowing, Kili took the stone, nodding.

"Promise me, Kili, you will return home."

Kili searched his mother's eyes finding her worried, almost frightened expression to be frightening to him as well.

"I… I promise," he swallowed again, moments later finding himself engulfed in his mother's warm hug.

"Well," she stood at an arm length from her sons, "I suppose you must be on your way. Good luck, tell Thorin hello for me. He's been gone to see our kin for too long! Goodbye."

"Bye mum," both Fili and Kili echoed, and slowly they filed from the house, Dis hurrying behind them.

When the exited, they saw a younger dwarf standing there, half smiling up at them.

"G' bye!" The smaller, ginger haired dwarf declared, "You're so lucky to go on a quest! My da wouldn't let me!"

Fili laughed at the obvious hero-worship shining in the smaller dwarf's eyes, "Maybe someday you'll go on a quest!"

"Hope so!" the dwarf paused nervously, and then he began almost shyly, "I made something for you."

"What'd you make?" Kili grinned, stepping forward.

"It's not very good, but my da helped a little, and presents don't have to be that good, right? Thoughts count?"

"Course," Fili nodded with a smile, eyes widening when two poorly forged knives appeared, though Fili supposed they would do the trick if it ever really came down to it.

"Surprise!"

"Yes, surprise," Fili glanced at his brother, who clumsily examined the knife.

"Thanks!" Kili grinned, fully prepared to give the foreign weapon to his brother when the little dwarf's back was turned.

"My da says every warrior needs one! I'm sure you already have loads, but I just wanted to help!"

"Well, thank you. We'll see you when the quest is over," Fili smiled, tucking the knife into his coat with all of his others.

"Yeah, thanks for helping!" Kili agreed, "Goodbye."

"G'bye," the little dwarf nodded seriously, and both brothers smiled again, turning to say goodbye to their mum, and she smiled at them before they shoulder their packs again and turned toward the Shire.

The two brothers glanced at each other, and then they began their journey that was fit for legends and novels. They were watched until they disappeared into the forest, and they left their mother and the little ginger haired dwarf behind.

Both Dis and the little dwarf watched until they were gone, and Dis smiled sadly.

"They'll do really good!"

Dis turned to the serious, intense little dwarf, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, we can all hope so."

"Maybe someday I'll go on a quest too!"

"Maybe you will. Now you'd best hurry home to say goodbye to you da before he has to leave. I'm sure he's looking for you."

"He's always looking for me," the little dwarf rolled his eyes, "Well, bye Mrs Fili's and Kili's mum."

"Goodbye, Gimli," Dis laughed, and then the little ginger dwarf too ran off away from Dis, who watched for her warriors to return.


End file.
